OBITUARY

Capt. Wayne E. Bratton

May 10, 1934 – August 31, 2018

Capt. Wayne E. Bratton age 84. Husband of the late Barbara R. (nee Schmuck), loving companion Francine L. Pate, dearest father of Bill (Nel) and Jennifer Valek, dear grandfather of Miranda, Benjamin, Nathaniel, and Anna, great grandfather of Camden, and dear friend of many. FAMILY WILL RECEIVE FRIENDS FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2018 FROM 2-4 AND 6-8 PM AT CRACIUN BERRY FUNERAL HOME 7200 DETROIT AVE. CLEVELAND, 44102. Celebration of Life Services Saturday, September 8, 2018 at 10 am at Grace Church 2503 Broadview Rd. Cleveland, 44109. In lieu of flowers family suggests donation to National Museum of the Great Lakes or Edgewater Yacht Club Sail Camp.

Capt. Wayne E. Bratton

Sue Lieblein

September 6, 2018

Wayne was One of a Kind. I met him when I followed my brother into the Sea Scouts. And when I got older, he wrote a letter of recommendation for me to the Great Lakes Maritime Academy. I got accepted, and ended up sailing on the Great Lakes for 27 years. I never could have done it without him.Thank you, WEB.

Dave Kelch

September 5, 2018

Wayne was one of my first Ohio Sea Grant advisory committee members, and served on my committee, actively, for 32 years. He was instrumental in the success of the Lake Erie Artificial Reef Program, if not the driving force behind it. If not for Wayne, the second Artificial Reef Program, using material from the old Cleveland Stadium in 1998, would not have happened. Wayne was not only a huge supporter of Lake Erie, but also of the Ohio Sea Grant Program and the OSU F.T. Stone Laboratory. Above all, Wayne was a true friend, and was an inspiration to me during my 32 years with OSU/Ohio Sea Grant. I'll never forget spending the night on board The Holiday, ' baby sitting' an old barge, destined for an artificial reef, that ' turtled' ( wouldn't sink) and was floating off the Gold Coast!!! The USCG asked if we would stay with the barge overnight until it could be towed into harbor in the morning. What a night that was!!!! Also the many, many, many days aboard the Holiday during the placement of artificial reef structure in both 1988 ( first project) and again in 1998 ( second project). Wayne was also a ' standard fixture' at the OSU Sea Grant displays, volunteering his time and knowledge during every Cleveland Boat and Sport Show. Want to know something, anything, about Lake Erie or the Great Lakes? Ask Wayne---- he had an answer.Thank you Captain Bratton, for all you've done to make Lake Erie a better place. Thank you for your friendship, and thank you for your inspiration to me.Dave Kelch, OSU/Ohio Sea Grant, Associate Professor, District Specialist, retired.

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